Developers: | Stellantis |
Branches: | Transport |
2024: Car recall due to brake pedals falling off during braking
In mid-October 2024, Stellantis recalled thousands of Dodge Hornet and Alfa Romeo Tonale SUVs when it became known that the brake pedal could fail on a regular trip. The malfunction has already caused one accident.
In total, dealers must return 21,069 SUVs: just over 17,000 Hornet and 4,000 Tonale. The company received 12 reports of identified problems, which in one of the cases even led to the accident, fortunately, without injuries and victims. Dealers plan to attach the pedals with an additional nut and bolt, but for now the manufacturer recommends using an electronic parking brake located on the center console, since "it can be used while driving for a controlled stop of the car." The manufacturer also notes that the automatic emergency braking system will automatically slow down the car if it detects a "threat of an imminent collision," but only if the driver has not turned off this system in advance.
All of the vehicles affected were produced at the Stellantis plant in Turin between July 20, 2023 and September 26, 2024. Cars produced before and after these dates are equipped with a different pedal assembly and are not at this risk. This is not the first time Stellantis has had to recall Hornet and Tonale: these cars have been considered four times for safety issues, including in 2023 due to a weakened battery cable that could lead to the fire of 4,000 cars. Later that year, another 4,000 cars were recalled because the pedestrian alert siren was not connected to the speakers. Stellantis also twice recalled the car for less serious reasons in March 2024 due to the fact that SUVs lacked the markings with information about weight and tires used, required by federal safety rules.[1]